Delta Flight 1076, a 12‑hour nonstop journey from Atlanta, was struck by a fireworks projectile during its approach to Chicago Midway International Airport last Saturday night.
The incident took place at roughly 200 ft (61 m) above the runway, well below the main landing gear. The crew reported the hit to the tower and the aircraft continued its descent, ultimately evacuating the runway and taxiing into the gate without any injuries.
Initial police statements described the impact as an “unknown object” that caused only minor paint damage. The Federal Aviation Administration logged the event at 20:30 CDT, and flight crews were briefed to exercise caution over the controlled airspace near the airport.
Air traffic control warned that many homes near the airport’s approach path were using fireworks in celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence. The controller advised “use caution” and reported that the city had notified the Chicago Police Department, although it was unclear what action would be taken.
The Delta spokesperson confirmed that the flight landed safely and passed a routine inspection afterward, with no structural damage found on the Airbus A319. “We just had a firework hit our plane,” a pilot told air‑traffic control; afterwards, an audio clip of the conversation was released to the media.
While large, state‑sponsored displays were occurring nationwide—including a 40‑minute show by the National Park Service at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.—private, unsupervised fireworks also appeared to be a significant risk for pilots during the late‑night festivities.
Chicago’s Midway airport, one of the city’s busiest, had been servicing flights that had to suspend runway operations for the national fireworks display in Washington, adding to the air‑traffic challenges for the day.
